Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1890. 
Reviews. 
637 
Grasses  of  the  Southwest. — Plates  and  descriptions  of  the  Grasses  of  the 
Desert  Region  of  Western  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona  and  Southern  Califor- 
nia. Part  I.  By  Dr.  Geo.  Vasey,  Botanist,  Department  of  Agriculture. 
Washington  :  Government  Printing  Office.  1890. 
This  handsome  publication  contains  fifty  faithfully-executed  lithographed 
plates,  quarto  size,  of  the  grasses  of  the  region  indicated,  and  gives  botanical 
descriptions  of  the  species  figured,  together  with  information  concerning  special 
characteristics,  the  usefulness  and  the  probable  advantage  to  be  derived  from 
the  cultivation  of  the  plants  as  pasture  grasses.  A  second  part  will  complete 
the  volume,  and  it  is  contemplated  to  publish,  in  a  similar  manner,  illustrations 
of  the  grasses  of  the  Pacific  Slope. 
Contributions  from  the  U.  S.  National  Herbarium.  No.  III.  Issued 
November  1,  1890. 
The  pamphlet  contains  about  thirty  pages,  descriptive  lists  of  plants  collected 
by  Dr.  Edward  Palmer  in  1890,  in  Dower  California  and  Western  Mexico,  and 
examined  by  Dr.  G.  Vasey  and  J.  N.  Rose.  A  full-page  plate  illustrates  a 
hitherto  unknown  composite  plant,  which  has  been  named  by  the  authors 
Coulter ella  capitata,  in  honor  of  Professor  John  M.  Coulter,  the  learned 
botanist  of  Wabash  College. 
Chloralamid  (Schering)  the  new  hypnotic,  discovered  by  Dr.  J.  von  Mering. 
Published  by  Dehn  &  Fink,  New  York.  „ 
A  pamphlet  of  forty-seven  pages,  containing  papers  on  the  use  of  this  com- 
pound, republished  or  abstracted  from  German  and  American  periodicals. 
Revue  International  de  Bibliographie  medicale,  pharmaceutique  et  vUeri- 
naire,  dirigee  par  le  docteur  Jules  Rouvier,  Professeur  de  clinique  obstetricale 
et  ginecologique,  etc.    Paris  et  Beyrouth  (Syrie). 
A  pamphlet  of  247  pages,  appearing  quarterly,  and  containing,  systematically 
classified,  the  titles  of  essays  on  the  above  subjects,  published  in  the  different 
countries.  A  curious  mistake  has  happened  in  the  translation  from  the  Eng- 
lish and  German  of  the  titles  of  two  papers  on  rosemary  and  oil  of  rosemary, 
the  name  of  the  plant  being  rendered  in  French  roses  marines,  instead  of 
romarin.  Several  other  errors  due  to  incorrect  translation  have  been  noticed  ; 
but  these  are  insignificant  in  comparison  with  the  faithful  labor  and  evident 
care  bestowed  upon  the  collection  and  arrangement  of  the  vast  material.  As 
will  be  noticed  from  the  above,  the  publication  is  a  classified  index  of  the  periodi- 
cal literature,  and  aims  at  embracing  all  periodicals  of  the  civilized  world. 
Twenty-first  Annual  Report  of  the  State  Board  of  Health  of  Massachu- 
setts.   Boston  :  1890.    8vo,  pp.  lxx  and  457. 
This  publication  contains  reports  and  statistics  relating  to  the  quality  of  food, 
drugs,  milk,  ice,  etc.,  supplied  in  Massachusetts. 
First  Annual  Report  of  the  State  Pharmaceutical  Examining  Board  of  Penn- 
sylvania, for  the  year  1888.    Harrisburg  :    1890.    8vo.    pp.  91. 
The  official  report  was  handed  to  the  Governor  of  the  State  July  17,  1888  ;  but 
the  usual  delay  in  the  printing  of  official  documents  is  the  cause  of  its  becoming 
accessible  in  print  fully  two  years  after  it  has  been  rendered.  It  gives  a  state- 
ment of  the  moneys  received  and  disbursed  during  the  year,  and  lists  of  the 
